Admit it, These Video Games Made You Cry

There's nothing to be ashamed about, some video games make you cry. Unlike movies or books, games have a remarkable ability to do more than expressing a story to the viewer. They transform the viewer into an active member of the story, strengthening the link between the player and the fiction. Whether it is feelings of sadness, triumph, fear, or even schadenfreude, video games can instill all sorts of emotions onto the player.

So, there's nothing wrong with shedding a tear or two when playing games. Here are the best examples of video games that can make you cry.

Obviously, this is going to contain a ton of spoilers for various games. Read at your own risk!

09. Elite Beat Agents (Nintendo DS)

Lucy, a wide-eyed 7-year old girl, loses her father in an accident when he leaves on a business trip. His finals words to her is a promise that he'd return before Christmas.

Although Lucy's mother tries to face the reality that she may never see her husband again, Lucy has hope that her father will keep his promise. In order to keep the memory of her late father alive, motivational dancers jump in and sing Chicago's You're the Inspiration. Sure it gets goofy, but it doesn't take away from the emotion behind a innocent child's love for her father.

08. OKAMI (Playstation 2)

Okami is such a beautiful game, it looks like a Japanese oil painting in motion. During the final battle, when protagonist Amaterasu is about to draw her last breath, she receives the support from just about every character that she had encountered along her long journey. Not only is this a touching moment, but it is a reminder of all of the deeds she has done for the numerous supporting characters in the game.

07. Dragon Quest V (SNES)

Dragon Quest V's story is one that spans an entire lifetime. The game begins on the day of your character's birth, fresh out of your mama's womb. Throughout the game, you'll experience childhood, witness the death of your parents, get sold into child slavery, get married, have children, and turn into a statue. You know, all of the major milestones in life. All of the joys and sorrows that the character experiences throughout his 30-hour life, you're right there with him.

06. Gears of War 2 (XBOX 360)

The Gears of War series is known mostly for bulky dudes that shoot at everything as a solution to all of the world's problems. Perhaps this is why the scene involving Dom's reunion with his missing wife can catch players off guard.

After a long search for Dom's missing wife, Maria, she was discovered to be a prisoner of the Locusts' slave camp. When he opens the cage that held her prisoner, she walks toward him, as beautiful as he remembered her. Unfortunately, reality kicks in and Dom discovers that she is dying, in pain, and appears to be unaware of anything that is going on around her. After a short reunion, Dom is forced to end it the best way he knows how--with his gun.

05. Mother 3(Gameboy Advance)

Don't let the colorful graphics and quirky world fool you, what happens during the introduction of Mother 3 can pull the heartstrings of any gamer. The game starts off with Hinawa and her two children making a trip to visit her father in a nearby village. On the way, they are attacked, and ultimately, she is stabbed through the heart--by a dragon.

The Hinawa's funeral cause her children to run away from home, and Hinawa's husband becomes arrested after losing his composure. With such a serious tone to the game, Mother 3 can touch the soul of anyone who has lost a loved one, whether they were killed by a dragon or not.

04. Final Fantasy VII (Playsation)

Everyone knows about Aeris' death. What many gamers don't realize is that the emotion behind her unexpected death was inspired by the passing of Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi's mother. According to him:

Are there any new themes in Final Fantasy VII? When we were creating Final Fantasy III, my mother passed away, and ever since I have been thinking about the theme "life." Life exists in many things, and I was curious about what would happen if I attempted to analyze life in a mathematical and logical way. Maybe this was my approach in overcoming the grief I was experiencing. This is the first time in the series that this particular theme actually appears in the game itself. See if you can spot it!

03. Lost Odyssey (XBOX 360)

Great voice acting and graphics, accompanied by an excellent soundtrack by Nobuo Uematsu set up one of the most convincing scenes of drama in any video game. After a long overdue reunion with protagonist Kaim's daughter, he realizes that she is ill and stays beside her bedside as she passes away. The dramatic scene is followed by a lengthy funeral in which the player pluck flowers as her children, and performs the rituals to send her off.

02. Final Fantasy VI (SNES)

​

Unlike modern games that have the luxury of great graphics and an orchestra for a soundtrack, the SNES classic Final Fantasy VI had to rely only on pixel graphics and MIDI music in order to manipulate the emotions of the player. That is exactly why this game is so amazing. Final Fantasy VI, more than any other JRPG, has the ability to captivate players with a great narrative. Whether it is Rachel's resurrection, the loss of Setzer's lover, or the famous opera scene, this game has more worthwhile emotional scenes than anything you'd see on TV these days.

01. Metal Gear Solid 3 (Playstation 2)

​

After the final duel in Metal Gear Solid 3, protagonist Naked Snake is forced to end the life of his mother-like mentor, The Boss (yes, that's her name). He holds a gun to her for a mercy kill, and it is up to the player when to pull the trigger.

Throughout the story, the player is convinced that Snake's mentor had betrayed the United States. It is later discovered, however, that she allowed her name to be tarnished in order to protect the country in which she served. Going down in history as a traitor, only Snake will know the truth of her uncredited and heroic deeds. As he stands before her grave, he gives her a final salute as tears roll down his face.

As a secret, if the player presses the R1 button during this scene, he/she is able to view the final moments of the game through Snake's point of view. The screen blurs from the tears, but at this point, the player probably doesn't need to press this button to see things in teary-eyed vision anyway.